Nissan X-Trail Review: Too Little Too Late?

The X-Trail is very likeable, but some of its flaws might not be excusable

The Nissan X-Trail is a seven-seater luxury SUV in the mid-size segment. The SUV, that debuted globally in 2020, is now in its fourth generation. Notably, previous versions of the SUV have been on sale in India before being discontinued in 2014 due to poor sales. 

Competitors of the Nissan X-Trail include the Jeep Meridian and Skoda Kodiaq. You can also consider larger SUVs such as the MG Gloster and Toyota Fortuner for a similar budget. Alternatively, if you wish to spend less, options such as the Mahindra XUV700 and Tata Safari (though not direct rivals) are available for significantly less money. 

For the Indian market, the X-Trail is a fully imported SUV, built in Japan. Should you consider the new X-Trail?

Exterior

Nissan’s X-Trail is sure to get some attention on the road. Purely because it’s unique and something different from what we’re used to seeing. The design language is simple, where Nissan has tried to blend a tough-looking SUV with a modern, urban style. There are no sharp cuts or creases here, and it seems like the X-Trail’s design will be pleasing to the eye even years down the line. 

From the front, the large grille and split headlamps grab attention. Weirdly enough, while it gets LED daytime running lamps and full-LED headlamps, the indicators are basic halogen bulbs. This feels cheap and unnecessary. 

It’s the side that shows off the size of the X-Trail to the fullest extent. It measures nearly 4.7 metres in length and the large 20-inch alloy wheels give it a solid stance. 

The rear is kept rather simple too, with some LED elements in a smoked tail lamp. Here, too, Nissan’s oddly chosen halogens for the indicators. 

The X-Trail is available in three colours: Pearl White, Champagne Silver, and Diamond Black. We think the X-Trail looks the best in the white shade, given its size and stance. 

Interior

A positive of the Nissan X-Trail is that its doors open up to a significant 85 degrees. This makes getting in and out of the SUV quite easy. It only helps that you do not have to climb inside the X-Trail — this will be appreciated by the elders in the family. 

 

The cabin’s simple design and black-brown colour theme feels pleasant. In terms of quality, the X-Trail delivers exactly what’s expected from it. There’s generous use of soft-touch materials on the top half of the dashboard and the crash pad. Even the buttons and switches for the climate control, power windows and the stalks feel well built. 

But in another instance of cost cutting, Nissan is providing fabric upholstery on the seats and the door pads. The grey colour looks slightly odd and does not fit in well with the premium experience the X-Trail aims to deliver. Thankfully, the seats are comfortable and accommodating of large frames. 

The second row has ample space too. A six-footer will be more than comfortable behind a six-foot tall driver. There’s ample width for three to sit comfortably, and enough headroom despite the panoramic sunroof. However, under-thigh support felt a bit lacking since the floor seems too high relative to the seat. 

 

You can slide the rear seat forwards/backwards and adjust the recline too. This lets you make space for occupants/luggage in the third row easily. There’s no captain seat option with the X-Trail. However, since the second row splits in a 40:20:40 ration, the middle seat can be folded individually for that captain seat feel. The occupants get AC vents and charging ports, but sadly no sunblinds. 

As far as the third row is concerned, it’s suited for kids or maybe pets on occasion. Available space is simply not adequate for adults even for short journeys. What makes matters worse is that the second row doesn’t get a one touch tumble functionality. Also, the space between the door and the second row is quite cramped for one to squeeze into the third row. 

In terms of practicality, the X-Trail has you covered. All doors have well-sized bottle holders, the central area at the front gets a phone tray, cupholders, a shelf underneath and storage under the armrest. The central armrest at the rear gets a couple of cupholders and a phone holder, whereas third row occupants get their own storage. 

Boot Space

If you use the X-Trail as a seven seater, there’s barely any space left in the boot. You might be able to squeeze in a cabin-sized trolley bag (or two) or maybe a couple of duffle bags. The third row can be folded away in a 50:50 split or entirely, which gives you a lot of luggage space. You can easily accommodate 5-6 cabin sized trolley bags here. You can also use the retractable luggage cover when using the X-Trail as a 5-seater. There’s a dedicated space to store this under the boot floor.

Features

The Nissan X-Trail is available in a single variant. It covers the basic features you would expect in a vehicle in this segment, but sadly nothing more.

Highlights include a panoramic sunroof, dual-zone climate control, wireless charging, automatic headlamps and wipers and cruise control. 

For its segment, the Nissan X-Trail has quite a few missing features. This includes: 

Performance

Nissan India is offering the X-Trail with a 1.5-litre, three-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine. This engine makes 163PS of power and 300Nm of torque, and powers the front wheels. There’s no option of a hybrid, diesel or all-wheel drive. The only transmission option is a CVT automatic. 

As you would expect, the SUV does not feel exciting in the way it accelerates. The claimed 0-100kmph time is a relaxed 9.6 seconds and it does feel like that from behind the wheel. If you want a faster SUV, it’d be wise to consider SUVs like the VW Tiguan/Skoda Kodiaq. 

What’s appreciable is that the vehicle does not feel underpowered for daily use. The response from the engine is satisfactory at low speeds for a relaxed city drive. With the CVT, the acceleration is smooth and lag free. 

For highway drives, the X-Trail would prefer if you stuck to speeds around 100-120kmph. However, if you want to push it, it shows no hesitation in hitting its claimed top speed of around 200kmph. Here, the X-Trail’s CVT mimics a regular automatic gearbox and ‘upshifts’ at the redline in a bid to make the drive more exciting. 

What stands out is the sound insulation. The noise, vibration and harshness from the outside environment is barely audible or felt inside the cabin. 

Ride Quality and Comfort

With large 20-inch wheels, one would expect the ride comfort of the X-Trail to be compromised. Thankfully, that’s not the case. The suspension is set up to be firm, but not to the point of being uncomfortable. 

Low speed ride is very well cushioned and you won’t be disturbed or tossed around inside the cabin. Similarly, high speed stability is exactly what you’d want from an SUV this size and heft. It’s only over broken surfaces and potholes, you’re likely to feel the edges slightly paired with some mild side-to-side movement. 

Here too, the silence with which the suspension works stands out. If you are looking for an SUV to accompany you on relaxed road trips with the family, the X-Trail will fit the bill quite nicely. 

Safety

Safety features on the new Nissan X-Trail 2024 include the usuals: seven airbags, ABS with EBD, tyre pressure monitoring system, electronic stability control. What feels missing in the overall package is ADAS. Features such as blind spot monitoring, rear cross traffic alert and auto emergency braking would’ve bumped up the X-Trail’s safety quotient. 

The X-Trail received a full five star rating from EuroNCAP. However, do note that the model tested was equipped with ADAS. 

Verdict 

Since the X-Trail will be a full import, it’s expected to cost around Rs 50 lakh. Therefore, from a value for money standpoint, it’s hard to justify the Nissan X-Trail. There are quite a few premium features missing such as leather upholstery and ADAS that take away from the wow factor of the vehicle. The performance from the 1.5-litre petrol motor too isn’t exciting in any manner but feels just about adequate. That said, it has got the basics of a solid build, second row space, and ride comfort right. And, it’s backed up by trustworthy Japanese engineering and reliability.